BOONE, N.C. – The UNCG softball team scored seven runs and kept Appalachian State off the scoreboard to sweep the three-game series Sunday afternoon at the Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.

The Spartans improve to 24-24 with a 7-11 conference mark while Appalachian State falls to 17-29 with a 5-12 SoCon record. UNCG has won four-straight conference games and completed the first conference sweep of the 2014 season.

Senior Raeanne Hanks (Rainier, Ore./Rainier Senior) kept Appalachian State off the scoreboard throwing a four-hit shutout with four strikeouts. Hanks improved to 12-15 on the season with the victory. Sydney Laws fell to 4-8 after throwing six innings and allowed seven runs (six earned) off 10 hits.

UNCG struck first in the third inning after Nicole Thomas lined a RBI single to centerfield to make it 1-0. With one out, Madruga roped a double down the leftfield line. Lindsay Thomas singled through the infield to put runners on the corners. After a fielder’s choice, Nicole Thomas picked up her 51st RBI of the season to give the Spartans the early lead.

In the fourth inning, freshman Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) blasted a two-run home run to deep centerfield to give UNCG a 3-0 lead. MacReynolds started the inning with a double down the leftfield line. With one out, Wright hit her second home run of the season.

The Spartans added an insurance run in the sixth inning after a couple of errors led to a run giving UNCG a 4-0 advantage. MacReynolds reached second base off a dropped fly ball to start the inning. Junior Tatiana Alcala (Oxnard, Calif./Pacifica) reached on a throwing error allowing MacReynolds to score from second.

The Blue and Gold added three runs off three hits in the seventh to take a 7-0 lead. The inning started with three-straight hits from Madruga, Lindsay Thomas and Bedwell. The last hit from Bedwell produced her record-breaking 58th RBI of the season dethroning Karyn Thompson back in 1995. Sophomore Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) and MacReynolds each picked up an RBI after being hit with the bases loaded.

Hanks ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh after loading the bases with two outs but a groundout back to the circle gave the Spartans the three-game sweep.

Be sure to follow all updates about the UNCG softball team on www.uncgspartans.com or on twitter @UNCGsports/@UNCGsoftball. -UNCG-